The Same Loneliness
by Domme
Summary: Solomon loves and protects his little brother. But when the Queens awaken, Karl's life takes a downward spiral as he loses his sanity bit by bit. Distracted by promises of marriage, can Solomon still keep him grounded? Or will Karl finally succumb to the madness?


"So she's finally begun to awaken, our little Diva." Solomon leaned over the balcony railing, taking in the view. The jungles of Vietnam were truly mysterious places at night, surrounding the courtyard as they did. The cicadas' peaceful song seemed to melt away all of his worries, yet at the same time, he could not help the feeling of unease rising in his stomach.

Diva's awakening always meant his chevalier brethren would cause an upstir. Among the brothers, it was his unspoken responsibility to keep Karl in line. Even then, as he stood there on the balcony, he was watching over his little brother in the courtyard below.

Karl circled, almost obsessively, the rusted, old shipping container that held his Queen. "Solomon. Aren't you going to come greet our Diva?"

"Shouldn't you wait for everyone else to arrive? I just got off the phone with Brother Amshel. I don't think he will be back for another few days, but Nathan and James are supposed to be here shortly."

"I don't want to keep her waiting," Karl stressed. "I am every bit her chevalier as they are." He could not stop fidgeting with the key card in his pocket, running it through his fingers countless times, positively yearning to use it on that shipping container. "I'm sure she will be fine without them if only for awhile."

With inhuman speed, Solomon appeared before Karl, grabbing the wrist of Karl's fidgeting hand. It was as if time stood still in that moment, as if each second were an hour. His own jade eyes locked with the onyx eyes of Karl, his blonde locks entwining with Karl's long raven hair, the scent of roses caught on the wind.

"Karl...," he spoke softly.

"Get off of me!" Karl snapped as he shook away from Solomon's grasp. Stepping back in frustration, he finally took off in the direction of the garden.

"Looks like someone's in a foul mood!"

Solomon recognized the falsetto voice instantly as belonging to Nathan. He tilted his head up to look at Nathan, fabulously dressed in frilly lace and bright colors. He sat perched upon the balcony railing, leaning down casually as he spoke.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No, no. Not at all," Solomon sighed, unwilling to explain further.

"So where's our dear little brother run off to?"

"I think he is going to cut some roses for when Diva gets up. He's quite impatient. You know how he gets." Solomon smiled weakly up at Nathan.

"I see," he smiled back. Dropping down from the ledge, he joined Solomon's side beside the shipping container. "You know, I've been thinking about bringing Mommy into theater. She's got a lot of potential with a voice like hers." He eyed the door curiously, an uncomfortable silence ensuing.

"I think James is going to be running a bit late. Why don't we greet Diva now and get her taken care of while they are on the way over?"

"Then I'll go get Karl," Solomon said affirmatively. As he wandered down the stone path toward the garden, he looked up at the crescent moon, shining down upon him in a silvery light, wondering just what to do with his little brother. Reaching the black iron gates before him, he put his hands across the cool bars. Just beyond the ivy engulfed gates was the garden, and with it, Karl, immersed in a sea of blue roses.

"Hello, Brother," Solomon said carefully, taking cautious steps into the garden.

"Is she up yet?"

"Everyone is here who could make it, so we were going to go see her now. I came to get you before she got up."

"Oh?" Karl looked up from the delicate rose he had been working on, a displeased expression across his face.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Brother." Solomon began sorting through roses opposite of Karl. "So, have you finished everything up here?" He leaned in to catch the fragrance of the flower, which had been planted at Karl's home for his Queen. True, sapphire blue roses had been a favorite of hers back when she lived in Bordeaux. Drawing a knife from his pocket, he began to carefully cut the rose stem.

"I was just taking the last few bruised petals off the roses," Karl said, continuing his work. He flipped back his glossy black hair for the umpteenth time, it always falling into his face as he worked.

"It's kind of nostalgic, being back here again," Solomon glanced up to catch the gaze of his brother. He smiled.

"Where is Amshel?" a voice screamed from the courtyard.

The unease rising up again in his stomach, Solomon rushed back toward the courtyard. "Come on," he gestured at Karl.

"Diva, darling, he'll be here as soon as he can," Nathan weakly offered. He backed off precautiously from the moody Queen. "Why don't we just get you inside and taken care of while we wait for him?"

"Then get me a new dress."

"Of course, my dear." Nathan picked up the wobbly, tired Queen and carried her inside, Karl and Solomon catching up behind the two.

"Take her to the bath, first," instructed Solomon. "I will bring her back down when we're finished."

"Then I suppose I'll be waiting for James downstairs," he said, laying Diva down on the rose-strewn bed. "Take good care of her for me, Solomon." He winked flirtatiously at Solomon before exiting the room.

"I will draw her a bath," Karl said, searching for an excuse to stay with his Queen. Entering the bath, he selected a jasmine bath gel and added it to the steaming water as he turned on the faucet, watching as the foamy water slowly rose.

A sigh escaped Solomon's lips. "You go through so many dresses, Diva. I hope you didn't do this on purpose," he said, looking down at the blood-stained cloth. He opened the mahogany bureau across from the bed, pulling out his set of medical equipment and placing it on the nightstand.

Taking shears in hand, he began cutting the fabric of Diva's white linen dress, exposing the beautiful, milky white skin underneath. Even as Solomon was a medical professional, he hardly ever worked on women in his time. Still, after all his time as a chevalier, his face lightly flushed with embarrassment as he lifted the now nude Diva in his arms, carrying her to the bath. Karl turned his head away bashfully as Solomon gently slipped Diva into the water.

Solomon sat at the edge of the bathtub, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. From the counter beside him he took an olive washcloth and reached down into the water, beginning to wash her legs. Karl, sitting on the floor beside her, brushed the hair out of her face. He ran his fingers through her soft black hair, trailing down into the warm water and back up again, the tresses mesmerizing, soft like warm winter fur. He leaned over the edge of the bath, his own hair dipping down into the opaque water as he looked adoringly into the face of his drowsy Queen.

She lifted her long, delicate white hands from the water and held his face close to hers. The sensation of her long nails lightly scratching the surface of his skin sent a wave of pleasure coursing through his body. Shifting position, she held his chin with one hand as the other trailed down to his collar, pulling at the fabric of his tunic, even playfully ripping it open, intent on exposing the bare flesh of his throat.

"I think you look tasty," she said enticingly. Pushing back the long raven hair from his shoulder, she pressed her lips against his pale, smooth throat, feeling the pounding of his heartbeat against his skin, delighting in the sensation of it all.

"Aah...," Karl winced softly as his mistress sunk her sharpened, long fangs into his skin. The crimson red stream trickled down into the water, down into the blue tunic now stained purple. He closed his eyes as the blood slowly drained from his body, focusing intently on the strength of her pull, on the painful wounds through which the blood flowed.

"Easy," Solomon instructed. He knelt behind Karl, watching as she drained the blood from her chevalier. Supporting Karl, he wrapped one arm around in front of him, and, with the other, held his now weakened throat. "You mustn't take too much."

Karl's heart pounded in his chest as he felt Solomon's whispers against his flesh, as he felt the warm, large hand of his brother wrapped tightly around his throat. "Solomon...," he whispered faintly.

"Let go, Diva." Karl struggled to remain conscious as he was pulled back into his brother's arms. "Come on," Solomon said, wrapping Karl's arm over his shoulder. He pulled Karl to his feet, keeping a watchful eye on his condition as he walked Karl over to the bed.


End file.
